Staying Active While Traveling
During the Holidays

Traveling for the holidays? If so, you’re definitely not alone. Most people leave town during the holidays to visit loved ones, get away for a few days, or otherwise. While away from home, it is easy to let your fitness plans fall by the wayside and be much less active than usual.

Long car rides, long flights, and tight schedules don’t make staying active any easier. Here are a few tips to remember as you travel during the holidays so you can still keep your activity levels up.

1. Take what you need on the road 

We’ve all been there: away from home without your running shoes, comfortable workout clothes, or yoga mat, so you are a little more inclined to skip your workout altogether. Before you head out, make sure you’ve got what you need to get active while you are away from home. This way, you will be less likely to find a convenient excuse not to work in your usual routine.

2. Schedule a time for workouts

When traveling, you can sometimes be pushed for time, so skipping a quick walk or workout is easy to do. However, you can be far more likely to find the time when you have something actually penciled in on your schedule. As you plan your itinerary, be sure to work in a short block of time to get in some exercise. Even if all you have free is just a small 15-minute block on a day you will be on the road, this set-aside time can be enough to get in some cardio or a quick bout of resistance training with rubber resistance bands.

3. Get up a few minutes earlier 

Traveling can mean you’re more pressed for time than usual. So, in order to have time for a quick 15-minute cardio workout or 30-minute walk, you may have to adjust your usual sleeping schedule. Just setting your alarm for 30 minutes earlier can give you the time you need to get moving before you leave.

4. Take the elevator instead of the stairs 

Sounds like old news, but this is really something to think about, especially if your travel plans will involve multilevel hotels, shopping trips that usually involve escalators, or a trip through a massive airport. You can get in a good 10 or 15 minutes of activity or more just by skipping the easy routes in favor of the stairs.

5. Grab a few micro workouts at stopping points  

Micro workouts, aka workout snacks: They take a minute or less, get your heart rate up, and may boost your metabolism by as much as 43 percent. So, when you stop for fuel, get to your hotel for the night, or even get a brief layover, get in about 60 seconds of burpees, squats, jumping jacks, or even a brisk run around your vehicle.

6. Get your loved ones on board 

If traveling with your family, make it a family commitment to stay active during the trip. You could even set up a friendly challenge by investing in inexpensive pedometers for everyone to see who can get in the most steps during the trip. Or, pick up a jump rope for a jump rope challenge every day while you are away from home.

7. Book hotels with a fitness center or pool 

One amenity to look for when you are looking for travel accommodations during the holidays is a hotel that offers a fitness center or even a pool. You may not have access to your usual gym or home workout equipment, but going for a quick swim or hitting the hotel fitness center can easily be worked into a busy travel day.